Fire Safety Tips for the Home Save Lives
House fires can cause injury or death and are responsible for billions of dollars in damages every year. Preparing for a fire is the best way to protect your home and family. Follow these five essential fire safety tips for the home to reduce the risk of injury or property damage.
1. Install Smoke Detectors
Homes with no working smoke detectors or alarms are most susceptible to major damage from fire. Test the smoke alarms every month, even if they are hard-wired, and change the batteries at least twice a year.
Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, inside and outside of all the rooms where people sleep, and in the kitchen. Place smoke detectors high on a wall or on the ceiling away from any air vents. This is one of the most basic fire safety tips for the home, but also one of the most important.
2. Watch for Fire Hazards
Prevention is key. Look for fire hazards like frayed or broken cords on electronics. Don’t leave extension cords plugged in for an extended length of time. Keep space heaters and other heat sources away from anything that can ignite, such as clothing, books, furniture, drapes, or blankets.
3. Have Accessible Fire Extinguishers
An often overlooked fire safety tip for the home is to have fire extinguishers available should a small and manageable fire break out. Keep one in your kitchen and use the PASS (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep) method to put out small fires. Check that the fire extinguisher you’re using is rated for the type of fire you’re putting out.
4. Fire Safety Tips for the Home Include Creating an Escape Plan
Establish a route to safety and practice it with all members of your household. Choose a safe meeting place on your property where everyone will go if a fire occurs. Add window ladders if you have a second story to make it easier to escape. There should be at least two ways to exit every room.
Practice proper fire safety tips for the home and minimize the chance of a home fire. Preventing a fire from occurring is the most effective way to keep everyone safe.
RE/INSPEX provides home inspection services to Northwestern North Carolina. Contact us to schedule our home inspection and testing services.